MUNCIE, Ind. — After nearly a decade in the popular, local band Shelby County Line (SCL), the band’s former lead singer Paul Rosewood, is striking out on his own in pursuit of a solo career.
Rosewood, formerly known as Paul Luft, recently signed with talent agency Nashville Artist Development.
The 22-year-old Versailles native always knew he wanted to make the music business his career, so when SCL came to an end, he knew he did not want it to be the end for himself.
“I‘ve always kind of been the one who’s been wanting to dream for the big time. You know, having singles on the radio and touring across the country, getting to play for people who love your song as much as you do, and it just happened that with the break up of SCL, I decided to go off in a whole new direction,” Rosewood said. “I couldn’t just stop there. I had to keep going, and so, here I am.”
Nashville Artist Development, based in Nashville, Rosewood said, helps navigate artists to “succeed in the industry.” Jason Wyatt, CEO of Nashville Artist Development, who was the lead vocalist with the country band The Lost Trailers in the early 2000s, helps artists as a writer, producer, mentor or through his Nashville connections, Rosewood said.
Monthly, Rosewood makes the trip to Nashville from Muncie, Indiana, where he is a student at Ball State. The singer is currently in his senior year working on a film degree with a specialization in video and audio. Learning studio skills at Ball State with cameras and microphones goes “hand-in-hand” with his music career, he said. The knowledge and skills he said he is gaining as a student he believes will help make and pick out his professional pictures and direct his own music videos.
“It’s like going to college twice,” Rosewood said with a laugh of juggling his busy schedule. “There’s definitely not a dull day for me. If I’m not in class, I’m doing co-writes in the evening on Skype, I’m off (performing) on the road starting on Fridays for show dates in Ohio, or who knows where.”
Rosewood grew up on a small farm outside of Versailles and prior to SCL’s conception, he developed his craft singing gospel at church, in his high school show choir and during his four years of piano lessons. He also participated in several local talent competitions.
SCL, which formed in 2010, took off in 2012. The band was signed to the independent record label PlayBack Records in 2014. Shortly thereafter, the band released their debut self-titled album. Being part of a band for nearly a decade, he said, helped prepare him for the direction of his solo career.
“When you are in a band, there is a lot of give and take going on. These two other guys, who may like this song they want to release or play, and you do not, and sometimes you take a hit and sometimes you are on the good (end),” he said. “It’s kind of like a family, you got to work (together) to make it happen. But as a solo artist, you are more open and free to to and play what you are as an artist.”
The change of his name was made, Rosewood said, to better reflect who he is as an artist. He described his music as combination of a little rough and rock and roll, yet a bit sweet or soft at times. Rosewood compares his style of music to that of country music singer and songwriter Luke Combs.
Rosewood said he plays a little bit of everything, when asked what instruments he plays. He plays the acoustic guitar and piano, and when creating music and writing said he also hops on the drums to feel the music from every angle. He admits to being influenced by artists of multiple genre’s, from country artists Garth Brooks, Vince Gill and Dolly Parton, to rock artists Aerosmith and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
“I try to enjoy all different things and genres to diversify myself,” the singer said. But in this industry you just gotta do your own thing and make something that hopefully people can relate to.”
He hopes to release an extended play (EP) album sometime in May and is constantly adding concert dates most weekends and throughout the summer in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
For all things Paul Rosewood visit his website at https://www.paulrosewood.com .
